Braiding
by MelodyByrd
Summary: So we know that the marauders and Lily are a tight-knit group, but were they always this way? Only rated T for cursing. (All characters belong to JKR. The only thing that is mine is the plot.)


At first, Lily and Sirius Black didn't get along. Not that he would ever admit it, but he was so god damn jealous. James was his best friend. He loved Remus, no doubt about that, but James was his first friend. Remus was second into the friend group, and following him, Peter. They all got along. Everything was smooth sailing. Then she came into the picture.

"Prongs! Come on! I know you're 'in love' or whatever, but when was the last time we had a bro's night out?" Sirius flips his charcoal hair away from his slightly stubbled face in frustration. "It's been forehhhhhhhhhhhver." James looks up from his homework in bemusement. Quirking a confused smile and raising an eyebrow he glances at the other two Marauders.

"Padfoot. We, literally, had a 'bro's night' last night." he huffs out a snort.

"Like I said, forehhhhhhhhhhhver." James rolls his eyes.

"Okay, Padfoot, okay." The mid-day sun ruffles the leaves in a spring breeze that hints at summer. All four Maraudersㅡ James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrewㅡ relax near the shrieking shack. In the case of James and Remus, doing homework. Sirius, unlike the homophone that his name implies, blows it off, and Peter just hangs out. A comfortable silence reigns. However, it wasn't comfortable for everyone.

"It's just…" Sirius trails off. James closes his transfiguration book; he wasn't doing it anyway. He was doodling on the corners of his parchment paper. Remus peaks at Sirius in amused wondering. "_Will he _finally _tell James what's bothering him_?" he wonders. Peter looks off into space.

"You're not going to finish that sentence?" James quips with a smirk. Sirius looks away frustrated. Mainly at himself for feeling the way he does. On one hand, he is happy for James and his girlfriend, butㅡ at the same time ㅡhe misses his brother. He never had a brother before. Maybe it's cruel to say, but Sirius Black doesn't care. His family wasn't… kind, warm, accepting, much less loving. Just the thought of that makes Sirius laugh. It's not a joyful laugh though. It's a bitter, resentful, pain-filled chuckle that leaks out when he is by himself on the train. James is one of the few that can make him truly laugh.

Remus is the other. Both Prongs and Moony have a sense of humor that he can relate to, but they don't have the same kind. Prongs has the practical jokester front, while Moony takes on the dry, witty form. Peter kind of just… hangs in the background. Suggesting a knock-knock joke or two. Sometimes they are funny. Most of the time they fall flat. He... tries. Not only does the humor coincide with each other when Lily is around, she is more like a form of glue. She has fire and wit, but not only that. She has sarcastic comments that make you want to simultaneously hit her and yourself. Much like Sirius, so it's no wonder why he gets frustrated with her. Not really _at_ her, but because it's what she represents. She represents the end of an era. The "bros before hoes" eon. That being said, she has many more positive qualities than negative.

Lily is so good for James. She cools him down. She is the only one who can make him truly think. The only one who comes even close is Remus. He doesn't know her yet, but he feels like he does with all the stories and second hand tales that Prongs has bestowed upon them.

"Lily said this today."

"Lily did that today."

"Lily, Lily, Lily, Lily, Lily…"

Sirius wasㅡ is ㅡhappy for James. Extremely. He just can't help but feel jealous as well. Not only for the affection that the couple emanates, but also for the time that he used to spend with his brother.

"I am glad you and Lily are together now, you fancied her long enough, I can't help but wish you could spend a little more time with us though." There. He said it. In a kind, simple, and non-joking manor. One might call it… nah. Can't do it. Anyway. Potter pushes his book even further away, as though the very sight offends him. He bites his lip as though to stifle the insults that want to hurl out of his mouth and cut down the offender to size. James takes a deep breath.

"What do you mean? I don't spend that much time with her." All the Marauders except James give each other a look.

"Actually, James." cuts the cool logic of Remus, "Recently you've been so enamored with Lily that we haven't seen you. Yes, last night was a bro's night, but you were owling notes to Lily the whole time. You would say five words then start scribbling." He ends with a self-conscious shrug. James swings his head to Peter as if to corroborate the story.

"Don't look at me. I'm staying out of it." All three sigh and roll their eyes.

"Okay. Fine. Maybe I have been spending a lot of time with Lily, but you guys haven't really tried to really get to know her. She's amazing. She's indescribable." Sirius could feel his temper rising with every word that tumbled out of Jame's mouth.

"WE GET IT! YOU LOVE HER. YOU LOVE HER _WALK_. YOU LOVE HER _HAIR_. WE _GET_ IT! God _dammit_!" Sirius ends in a broken whisper. It felt cathartic for a brief second, but then he sees the impact that his not-quite thought out ranting caused. A few small syllables of apology try to form, but he's too overwhelmed. Several seconds of stagnant, nothing pass. Eventually, he runs back to the castle to just escape.

James… feels. _On one hand, shouldn't Sirius be happy for him? He finally has the woman of his dreams not only talking to him but as his _girlfriend_. This is an auspicious event. On the other hand, he hates himself for hurting Sirius. On the other, _other _handㅡ maybe it should be foot since both hands are occupied ㅡno one has said anything before now, so how could he realize that this was a problem if no one told him? But on the other, other, _other _hand (foot?) it's not his job to mother his friends._ James' thoughts are in a tumultuous miasma where every thought has a counter, and he doesn't know what's right. All he knows for certain is that his brother is hurt and he is the cause of it. James stops where he is. He didn't even realize that he had started pacing.

"Before you faff off and try to mother-hen him you should give him time to cool off and calm down." Remus interjects.

"What do you know?" James barks out aggressively. He shoves out a long, heavy breath, "I'm sorry, Moony. I'm not mad at you. It's just." He breaks off.

"You didn't know" James nods moresely. "I figured as much. Look. I kind of know my way around his Black temper. Being his boyfriend does help in this department, and, while I'm glad it's not me or related to me for once, I don't like seeing my closest friends fighting. Especially when it's just a miscommunication error." Once confident that James wasn't going to run after Sirius, Remus settles back down ready to hear the long tirade that is coming his way. Both in this moment, but also in a few hours from Sirius. All Remus could wonder is, "_why do I have to have such bloody _drama _queens as family_?"

Back in Gryffindor tower, a sulking, embarrassed pureblood lies in wait to be told off. "He's going to tell me that he no longer wants to be friends. That he hates me."

"I'm sure that whatever you've done to piss-off your boyfriend he will forgive. He's done so, so far." Lily's redhead peeks in through the door before walking through the door. She continues until she sits on the same sofa as her classmate.

"It's your boyfriend I was referring to, actually." he responds matter-of-factly. He appears bored studying his nail beds.

"I do believe you mean your other boyfriend." Lily laughs out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius postures sullenly. Lily raises an eyebrow.

"You're not ser-" Lily cuts herself off and changes to, "you're kidding me, right?" Sirius smirks knowingly, but she continues, "You and James are thick as thieves. No, actually, you probably are thieves of some sort." The witch shakes her auburn head in disbelief. "I doubt there's anything that could come between you two." Sirius' demeanor changes, reminded of his fight with James.

"I'm fairly certain that I found that one thing, Evans." She stares uncomprehendingly at him with a question in her eyes.

"Well?"

"You, you daft witch." He defensively spat. Lily's eyes widened, her mouth opened and closed, while a blush as fierce as her personality raged war against her attempt at neutrality.

"What do you mean 'me'?" Sirius never thought he would be venting to the very source of his contention, yet.

"I mean that James only talks to you. Only talks about you. All. The. Fucking. Time. It doesn't matter where we are or what subject we're discussing. It always switches back to you. I want my brother back. Don't get me wrong," he rushes out far too quickly to reprimand himself, "James loves you, and you make him so damn happy- which is what sucks most of all. I can't even be mad at you. I-" He stops himself. He feels himself turning as pale as Nick.

"Before you run off, Black, there's something you need to know." Lily scoots closer and leans forward, swiping a piece of hair behind her ear, "I love him too." She conspiratorially whispers, "There. You know that even before he does. I won't do anything to come between you two. Not on purpose, that is. I'll talk to James for you. If you want?" Sirius eyes her suspiciously.

"Why are you being so understanding?" Lily laughs softly.

"I understood that the four of you, especially you, were a package deal long ago." On hearing this, Sirius flops as far back as the couch would allow him. Some of his hair covers his eyes. He puffs out a breath to clear his line of sight._ I need to cut my hair. Maybe I should grow it out further?_ A voice interrupts his inner monologue.

"I can braid your hair, if you want?" Lily looks a little uncertain, but genuine. "I know it's annoying to have in your face. I also happen to know a ton of different styles." A brief moment of silence ensues.

"I- erm. Please. Yes, I would appreciate that." Lily motions for Sirius to sit on the floor in front of her. He gives her a look.

"You want me to braid your hair, do you not?"

"Yes, but."

"No, 'buts'. Sit." Much grumbling occurs, but he complies. Minuets pass when eventually…

"Mate. Why is my woman braiding your hair?"James bumbles into the scene.

"Your woman?" Lily dangerously inquires. She pauses and locks eyes on her idiot.

"Not in a possession-y way. You are you're own woman and not an object." James hurriedly interjects with fear evident in his eyes. Lily nods her head once in satisfaction and continues to plait her brother-in-law's— not that she would ever admit to thinking of him that way —hair. James, now sure that he is out of immediate danger of castration, sits down next to some of his favorite people.

"Mate. Sirius. Are we? Are you? I, mean-"

"Yes, we're fine, Jamesie." James rolls his eyes at the ridiculous nickname, but is inwardly relieved.

"Why are boys so rubbish at this?" Lily inquires to no one in particular. Remus, who just entered followed by Peter, snorts bemusedly.

"I have this theory that guys in general are okay at the 'feelings' thing, but it's just Padfoot and Prongs here who are colossal failures. A simultaneous, "Oi!" rings out from the two in question. General bickering descends the group. Sirius leans back after a while and takes in the scene. Lily is joining in and giving as good as she gets. She… fits. Different, yes, but not bad nor wrong. _Yeah. We're fine, James. I was stupid to think anything else could have happened._

That was the first step towards a deep friendship between Lily Evans— eventually Lily Potter —and Sirius Black. A few years later, the group would often laugh at the events that lead up to the bonding. The group continued to change as life played its hand, but the one constant was the love between James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily.


End file.
